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Sara Haas
I bet you have a go-to pancake recipe. I bet you can make it without even looking at the recipe. I sure do. Weekends are all about pancakes at our house. As I mixed ours last weekend, using the same ingredients and the same old technique, I thought my go-to recipe was due for an upgrade. So on a noble quest for the very best recipe, I tried the top five on Allrecipes and let me tell you—it was a close match.
What Makes a Great Pancake?
Mary Claire Britton
The ingredients for pancakes are generally pretty similar: flour, eggs, leavening, liquid. I wondered what exactly it would take to make my pancakes even more special. The perfect pancake is light, fluffy and tender with a subtle tanginess and gentle sweetness. As far as technique goes, there are three that tend to work every time.
Our 20 Best Pancake Recipes of All Time
Meet the Contenders
- Fluffy Flapjack Pancakes, submitted by Jackie HealthyWitness
- Good Old-Fashioned Pancakes, submitted by Dakota Kelly
- Easy Pancakes, submitted by Sharon Holt
- Fluffy Pancakes, submitted by Kris
- Buttermilk Pancakes, submitted by BURYGOLD
How I Judged the Pancake Recipes
- Flavor: Pancakes tend to be a vessel for maple syrup, honey, or compote, so flavor often gets overlooked when it comes to these beauties. The best recipes taste as good on their own as they do doused in syrup or dipped in jam.
- Texture: The best pancakes are almost cloud-like, fluffy, tender, and never dry. They are moist and soft but strong enough to withstand toppings like syrups and compotes.
- Versatility: Does the recipe allow for substitutions like non-dairy milk, egg-alternatives, or gluten-free flour? I looked at how each recipe stood up to the addition of items like blueberries, bananas, and chocolate chips as well.
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Best No-Frills Recipe
Sara Haas
- The recipe: Easy Pancakes, submitted by Sharon Holt
- Average rating: 4.7 stars
- Rave review: “Perfect pancakes. Easy and quick to make. Taste and consistency was great. Will definitely continue to make them.”—AllRecipes Member
This is the perfect recipe to choose if you’re just starting out on your personal pancake journey. The instructions are as simple and straightforward as it gets, and it calls only for items you probably already have on hand. Dry ingredients get whisked together and wet ingredients are whisked into the dry ones, just until the batter comes together. These had a really nice flavor and texture, and I certainly would not complain if a stack of these landed on my plate.
Fluffiest Pancakes
Sara Haas
- The recipe: Fluffy Pancakes, submitted by Kris
- Average rating: 4.8 stars
- Rave review: “Title should read: “World’s Best Pancakes.” I’ve been making this recipe for my family and many others for over ten years, and it’s ruined everyone else’s pancakes for me.” —Michael Brown
True to its name, this recipe yielded the tallest pancake of the bunch. For chemistry nerds, like yours truly, this recipe is pure magic. Kris calls for a combination of vinegar and milk in place of buttermilk. Dry ingredients include flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Not only does the vinegar sour the milk, it also interacts with the baking soda to create extra bubbles, resulting in extra tall pancakes. I just love it. The flavor of this batch was good, and although the texture was a bit on the dry side, this recipe is a good starting point if height is your goal.
Best Homestyle Pancakes
Sara Haas
- The recipe: Fluffy Flapjack Pancakes, submitted by Jackie HealthyWitness
- Average rating: 4.4 stars
- Rave review: “I whipped up the perfect batch using this recipe, and I fear I will be making these more often than not, LOL.” —Ayanda2303
This is a wonderful, basic pancake recipe that’s big on nostalgia. Jackie uses canola oil in place of butter, which contributes to its homey flavor. Canola oil also ensures that the end result stays moist, even when left out on the counter all morning. The flavor and texture of this batch was the closest of all to diner-style flapjacks.
Runner Up
- The recipe: Buttermilk Pancakes, submitted by BURYGOLD
- Average rating: 4.8 stars
- Rave review: “These are the best made from scratch pancakes I’ve ever made. They are so tender & fluffy.” —Cheryi
There is something epically comforting about a good buttermilk pancake, and this recipe does not disappoint. The developer calls for combining flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a bowl. To this they add buttermilk, melted butter, and eggs, whisking just until combined. The results are heavenly. Buttermilk adds tenderness and a light tang to these pancakes that pairs well with just about any topping you can think of. I’m calling this recipe the runner up, because I’ll make these again soon.
Best All Around
Sara Haas
- The recipe: Good Old-Fashioned Pancakes, submitted by Dakota Kelly
- Average rating: 4.6 stars
- Rave review: “I made them just as the recipe said. My husband of over 51 years said they were the best I have ever made!”-Dianne Winkler
Although it was a close race, this recipe was the unanimous favorite among my family members. Kelly’s recipe calls for flour, baking powder, sugar, and salt, which is sifted together into a large bowl. Milk, one egg, and melted butter are then added to a well in the center of the dry ingredients and whisked until combined. Right off the griddle, these pancakes are just perfect. They stand up tall and are as delicious on their own as they are with maple syrup. They are tender and fluffy and strike the perfect sweet-to savory balance. As a die-hard buttermilk pancake gal, this recipe really challenged my assumptions about what makes for a great pancake. This is the recipe we’ll make for many Saturdays to come.
More Taste Tests
Mary Claire Britton
- Biscuits
- Strawberry cake
- Chicken salad
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